Modern power systems often include a variety of devices such as circuit breakers, switches, relays, etc. which require an array of controls to operate. Such systems typically also have a monitoring system that includes meters and often intelligent electronic devices (IEDs). IEDs may be configured to perform metering functions but also may provide a greater variety of data and have greater utility due to the ability to configure such devices to perform numerous functions. The power systems often contain hundreds of devices that are controlled and monitored. Thus, the monitoring systems may also have dozens or hundreds of IEDs and meters that monitor various points in the power system. The monitoring and power systems may have a central controller that receives data from the IEDs. The central controller may double as a control system. Such systems are referred to as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. An example of such a system is the PowerLogic SCADA system available from Schneider Electric. Such systems require input and output interfaces with devices in the power system for control signals or for data acquisition from metering devices.
Traditionally, a SCADA system requires separated physical devices in a system with separate inputs and outputs to the central controller. When there are numerous control devices and monitoring devices, it is difficult to identify the specific monitoring device in the system when urgent data or messages are received by the central controller. Further with numerous control devices in the system, it is difficult to determine specific control units since many of the control devices are similar or identical. For example, if a switchgear panel has multiple IEDs and an alarm is received, a user of the SCADA system cannot easily find out which specific IED the alarm is received from. It requires substantial resources and time to make separate physical devices look like one device in a SCADA system to facilitate rapid identification of a particular device for data and control functions.
Therefore there is a need for an interface with physical devices by a control and monitoring system that allows a user to identify a particular device in a system. There is a further need for a system that allows rapid profiling of a device or devices as they are added to a SCADA system.